Buttons

Men throughout Europe wore silver buttons with their traditional costume in the 19th century. Silver filigree buttons had been synonymous with rural dress since at least the 16th century. Most European cultures disapproved of male jewellery, but buttons allowed men to show off their wealth and status. They wore them in extravagant numbers, on sleeves and trousers as well as jackets and waistcoats.

These buttons are typical of the kind worn by men in Austria and South Germany. They were probably made in Schwäbisch Gmünd, which was the main centre in the region for traditional filigree work of all kinds in the 18th and 19th centuries.